No fatalities

Single-engine aircraft stall shortly after takeoff (VH-UQS)

Surprise Creek (Wai Ungu), Papua New GuineaTakeoff (climb)

On March 5, 1938, a De Havilland DH.83 Fox Moth (registration VH-UQS) operated by Guinea Airways was involved in an aviation accident near Surprise Creek (Wai Ungu), Papua New Guinea during takeoff. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Aerodynamic stall during initial climb leading to loss of control and ground impact. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-08-04Data APIEditorial standards

A single-engine plane stalled during initial climb and crashed into a prairie, resulting in one injury and total loss of the airframe due to post-crash fire.

What happened

The incident occurred shortly after departure while the single-engine aircraft was in the initial climb phase. During this ascent, the airplane experienced a stall, causing it to descend rapidly and impact the ground in a prairie area. Upon collision with the terrain, the airframe broke apart and immediately caught fire. The pilot sustained injuries during the accident, but survived. The post-crash fire consumed the remainder of the structure, leaving the aircraft destroyed.

Findings

The immediate sequence of events indicates that the loss of control was precipitated by an aerodynamic stall during the climb-out phase. This condition led directly to the uncontrolled descent and subsequent ground impact. The severity of the damage was exacerbated by the rapid ignition of fuel or other flammable materials following the crash, resulting in the total destruction of the airframe.

Probable cause

Aerodynamic stall during initial climb leading to loss of control and ground impact.